"Food for me was a connecting link to my grandmother, to my childhood, to my past. And what I found out is that for everybody, food is a connector to their roots, to their past in different ways. It gives you security; it gives you a profile of who you are, where you come from." - Lidia Matticchio Bastianich

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Wednesday, July 1, 2015

This month, I will try my best to show case some unusual veggies. Let's see if my farmers market, Indian stores and my enthusiasm keep up with this pledge!

Today's recipe is Pumpkin Leaves daal. Pumpkin leaves and stems are very much edible and they go well with this Konkani masala. There are two ways you can make this daal. You may choose to temper it with garlic cloves or you may use tirphal/teppal. But please be mutually exclusive about it. Do not use both as the flavors will counter balance each other.

Pumpkin Leaves Daal

Ingredients

1 bunch Pumpkin leaves

1/2 cup toor daal

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

salt to taste

Soak in 1/4 cup warm water

6-7 tirphal/teppal

Grind to a coarse paste

1/2 cup coconut

1 tbsp. coriander seeds, roasted

5-6 black peppercorns

5 byadgi chilies

1 tsp tamarind pulp

Garnish

Few drops of coconut oil

Method

1. Shred pumpkin leaves roughly. If the stems are tender, cut it into about 2" pieces. Remove any fibers that are attached to the stem, by cutting a little opening and peeling off the fiber - the way you would do for drumsticks.

2. Pressure cook daal with turmeric powder and adequate water as well as pumpkin leaves and stems.

3. Mash daal lightly after cooking.

4. In a saucepot, add cooked daal and cooked pumpkin leaves and stems.

5. Roast coriander seeds, black pepper corns and byadgi chilies. Grind to a coarse paste with coconut and tamarind. Add water as required for grinding.

6. Pour the masala paste with water into the curry.

7. Add salt and teppal with water. Bring to boil.

8. Drizzle few drops of coconut oil as the curry is boiling.

9. Serve with plain rice.

Note-

1. Generally tirphal or teppals are given a little pounding before soaking. Make sure that the berries are not totally crushed or powdered.

2. Do remove the black seeds in teppals.

3. Teppals are added to enhance the flavor. They are not meant to be eaten.